Johnny Smith

Ascension Aligns Health Systems in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore

Jul 11, 2018

Keith Vander Kolk Serving as Chief Executive for Sites of Care Under Single Market

Washington, D.C. and Baltimore (July 11, 2018) – Ascension has appointed Keith Vander Kolk to serve as Health System President and Chief Executive Officer of its Baltimore/Washington Ministry Market, composed of Saint Agnes Healthcare in Baltimore and Providence Health System in Washington, D.C.

In his new role, Vander Kolk will serve as chief executive for all of Ascension’s sites of care in Baltimore and D.C. Vander Kolk was named President and CEO for Saint Agnes in 2015. This change expands his role to include oversight of Providence as part of an effort within Ascension to unite its operations in the region. He will maintain direct oversight of market-level functions and the Saint Agnes Health Institute.

“Achieving success in our rapidly evolving healthcare environment requires us to be flexible enough to quickly adapt to the changing needs of the individuals and communities we serve,” said Karen Springer, President, Healthcare Operations, Ascension Healthcare.

The leadership teams of Saint Agnes and Providence have been realigned to further the Ascension Advanced Strategic Direction in the new market and to best achieve the national health system’s Mission of serving all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Day-to-day operations at Saint Agnes Healthcare will be led by Chris A. Chekouras, who will assume the role of President & Chief Operating Officer.

Chekouras was hired by the organization last year to serve as Chief Operating Officer, leading operational improvements and guiding the development of clinically integrated systems of care — such as the Saint Agnes partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System.

Day-to-day management of Providence Health System will be led by Eugenia Powell, PhD, RN, who will assume the role of Administrator & Vice President, Patient Care Services.

Powell has been with Ascension since 2009, serving in various positions, including Chief Quality Officer and Assistant Vice President of Education, Quality, and Professional Development for both Providence and Saint Agnes.

“Saint Agnes and Providence already have been working closely together and sharing resources where appropriate, and that work will continue as the ministries come together as an integrated market,” Vander Kolk said. “The Baltimore/Washington Ministry Market is blessed with dedicated caregivers and associates, highly qualified medical staff, an exceptional leadership team, and very involved board members and donors who work hard each day to address the needs of the communities we are privileged to serve.”

Both Providence and Saint Agnes were founded by the Daughters of Charity and have been part of Ascension, the nation’s largest non-profit health system and the world’s largest Catholic health system, for over 150 years.

About Providence Health System

Ascension’s Providence Health System was founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1861 with its charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln, making Providence the longest continually serving hospital in the District of Columbia. Providence Health System includes Providence Hospital, Providence Medical Group, Imaging Services and Providence Foundation. With locations throughout the District and Maryland, Providence employs about 2,000 associates. In FY2017, Providence provided nearly $10 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty across the region. Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 153 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.provhosp.org.

About Saint Agnes Healthcare

Ascension’s Saint Agnes Healthcare operates a 254-bed, full-service teaching hospital founded more than 150 years ago, in addition to locations and offerings throughout the greater Baltimore area through Saint Agnes Medical Group, Seton Imaging Center, and Saint Agnes Foundation, which together employ more than 3,000 associates. Across the region, Saint Agnes provided more than $31 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty in fiscal year 2017. Saint Agnes also owns Gibbons Commons, a 32-acre mixed-use community being developed to improve the overall well-being of the community. Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. Ascension is the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, operating more than 2,600 sites of care – including 153 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.stagnes.org.

About Ascension

Ascension (www.ascension.org) is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As the largest non-profit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system, Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2017, Ascension provided more than $1.8 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 165,000 associates and 34,000 aligned providers. Ascension’s Healthcare Division operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 153 hospitals and more than 50 senior living facilities – in 22 states and the District of Columbia, while its Solutions Division provides a variety of services and solutions including physician practice management, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, clinical care management, information services, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization.